Little Draw for August: Gear Up for Ellerslie

 For seasoned urban sketchers, the thrill of capturing a city's essence in a single frame is an undeniable draw. Urban Sketchers Auckand has an upcoming session at the iconic Bridge of Memories (the spiral staircase) in Ellerslie. This structure and street of busy shops promises some perspective challenges and bustling shoppers we're happy to rise to.

The key to a successful sketching expedition often lies in your toolkit. Portability is paramount. You don't want to be lumbering around and spending your entire sketching session setting up tools! 

Whether you're a watercolor enthusiast, a pastel perfectionist, or a pen and ink aficionado, your kit should be easily assembled and disassembled leaving you plenty of time for the good stuff: capturing our world, one drawing at a time. The beauty of urban sketching is often its spontaneity, and having a compact setup allows you to seize fleeting moments of inspiration.

Check out these equipment suggestions:

• Everything you need to start Urban Sketching by Taria of urbansketchingworld.com
• My favourite Urban Sketching supplies: gouache kit by Julia of juliahenze.com
• Sketching Tools by Liz Steele
• Six Essential Supplies for Urban Sketching by Sketchbook Skool
• Travel Sketching Essentials by Stephanie Bower

If you're going to join us this month for our sketching session, remember too the Bridge of Memories is just a starting point. The allure of our sessions often lies in the unexpected. Don't be afraid to wander off and discover hidden gems. Our city is a canvas brimming with potential subjects.

We'll be gathering again at the spiral stairs at 3.30pm for our throwdown.

So, gather your trusty sketchbook, your preferred medium, and a spirit of adventure. We look forward to sharing seeing you on Sunday 18 August from 1pm for our August Little Draw in Ellerslie, Auckland hosted by the Auckland Chapter of the Urban Sketchers of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ellerslie, Auckland - meet at the spiral staircase

Keep up to date with us on Instagram and Urban Sketchers Auckland Facebook page. We post photos from our drawing sessions on both platforms.

Urban Sketching in the Cityscape: June's Rooftop View Challenge

Finding the perfect spot for our monthly sketch outings is always a fun challenge for the Auckland Urban Sketchers' volunteers. This winter weather can be particularly unpredictable, so finding shelter from the elements is a top priority. Couple that with Urban Sketchers Prompts for July "Rooftop Views" and we find that car parks offer a unique solution! 

Multilevel city car parks can provide much-needed cover if the rain decides to join the party, plus a fantastic vantage point to capture the city from above. However, the downside can be the temperature. Let's face it, concrete jungles aren't exactly known for their warmth, and sometimes the chill can chase even the most dedicated sketchers away.

This was the case for our June meetup at the Downtown Carpark in the Auckland CBD. While our initial headcount promised a lively session with around 24 sketchers, the dropping temperatures and rain showers sadly whittled our numbers down to a determined dozen by the Throwdown - and no one can blame those who took an early exit - that temperature-drop was finger-numbingly decent.

The beauty of urban sketching is that there's always something to draw, no matter the location! 

The towering office blocks, charming old buildings, and townhouses provided a wealth of architectural details to capture. The expansive views of the harbour, the twisting tarmac of the multi-laned roadscape and even a peep of the bustling ferry landing added another layer of interest, and of course, the car park itself with its geometric concrete structures and parked vehicles offered a unique subject for those seeking a more direct approach.

The Throwdown, where sketchers share their completed works, truly highlighted the diversity of styles, preferences, and tools that come together in our group. Even a seemingly "uninspiring" location like a car park can spark creativity and lead to a fascinating range of artworks.

So, a big thumbs up to those who braved the mid-winter elements for our June meetup! Your dedication and artistic vision never cease to be amazing.

What are your thoughts on car parks as sketching locations? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned for the announcement of our sketching adventure in July! We're hoping for someplace warm :)

See more of the photos from our day at the Downtown Carpark on Urban Sketchers Auckland Facebook.

Gelato anyone?

 Visiting the bustling Victoria Market in Melbourne - Sam the gelato guy was going like the clappers in the hot sun - nary a break.

View from Puke Ariki

Here's a view of the city from Puke Ariki (museum) showing the people moving around the hodgepodge architecture of New Plymouth. At the bottom, is the reverse side of part of the Festival of Lights Pop-up that was very popular with tons of people.

Corner of Devon & Gover

I was actually amazed that these trees still had their leaves.

Taranaki Aviation Technology and Transport Museum

From the Taranaki Aviation Technology and Transport Museum. The inside of an old Fire Truck and a wall of radios. It was pouring rain for a while and the roof started to leak. I climbed in to the back of the firetruck and sketched the front seats. I also made a wall of radios from some that were actually on shelves.

Peggy Gordons

 

If you've ever been to Peggy Gordons and thought that you may have had too many, don't worry. It's the building... NOT YOU! The toilet is in what used to be a vault. That door really IS that heavy. So have another.